SOMERSWORTH — A significant rate increase implemented by American Medical Response (AMR) ambulatory services in November for services rendered has been recently eliminated altogether with officials stating that AMR executives responsible for enacting the hikes have also been eliminated.

“Effective immediately, this increase has been eliminated. Any individual or health plan that was charged the higher rate after the Nov. 3, 2012 increase went into effect will be reimbursed for the difference between that rate and the rate in effect immediately before the increase,” NH AMR General Manager Christopher Stawasz, said.

“It was put into effect by a former executive and it was inappropriate,” he said.

Officials have now “put things back to where they should be.”

Reimbursements will be made within the next 30 days, he explained. He said the actual number of individuals to be reimbursed in local communities serviced by AMR may be small, however. Stawasz did not know the exact number of individuals whose rates were affected by the increase in local communities serviced by AMR.

He also said regardless of what their gross charge may be, AMR accepts the full amount of what insurance companies billed for services pay them.

Stawasz did not know exactly what rate charges are to local individuals but described the structure as being complex and similar to that of an emergency room, where services rendered determine cost and fees.

In Manchester, rates had jumped 50 percent from $1,660 to $2,445 for a “standard trip to the hospital,” according to information printed in the Manchester Union Leader. That article also reported that a mileage fee had gone from $34.37 to $51, and the rate for ambulance trips requiring intensive care increased from $2,300 to $3,260.

In Somersworth, Fire Chief Keith Hoyle explained there is no fee charged to the city for ambulance services provided by AMR. He also said there is nothing in the contract that regulates what AMR can charge the individual patient.

A new operations manager for the region was also appointed just last week.

Since the increase was rescinded, Stawasz said, essentially no one should be affected moving forward.

Asked if anything like this increase can be expected to happen again in the future, Stawasz said, “absolutely not.”

“As a member of the community, and a local AMR executive I apologize to the citizens of New Hampshire for any inconvenience this issue has caused,” he said. “We are committed to working with our customers, local officials, hospitals and insurers to help control health care costs while providing superior emergency medical services.”